Just a little reminder! This is non-profit, so to all the people that own the stuff I’ve used without permission – a million apologies! This is just my idea of a good time! What a sad life, huh? Well, there’s a good reason not to sue me!

Want to make a comment on my writing, or just have a chat about life in general? Then drop me a line at luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com. Go on, I don’t bite! At least, not unless you ask me real nice…

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The gang looked around in shock. "Why did you bring us HERE?" screeched Sailor Moon. "Of all places!"

"It’s only the Moon Kingdom," replied the Grand Inquisitor, looking around thoughtfully. "Jeez, you people…I thought you’d like coming back here."

"Given the memories that exist in every inch of this place, not particularly," said Tuxedo Kamen darkly.

Celestine tossed her long hair in exasperation, and motioned for them to follow her through the rubble of stone and marble. Presently, they stood in the ruined building that had once been a temple of exceptional beauty.

A huge stained glass window caught the sunlight, reflecting it onto a single statue set into the one remaining wall, giving the visage unnatural colour. It was to this stone figure that Celestine walked, and laid her hands over. "Do you remember Leucite mentioning a Nepheline Syenite?"

"Yeah…" said Venus slowly. "Sort of…"

"Well, you’re about to meet her. Our innocent immortal, frozen in time so that she could save her love when the Dark Kingdom collapsed. Metallia sent her here the second Sailor Moon healed Prince Endymion, for Metallia knew her greatness. She was as much of a threat as Leucite could have been, had he still been able to become Puck."

"Celestine?"

"Yes?" He face was creased in concentration as she gazed at the statue, but she seemed undisturbed by the interruption, thus Venus continued.

"What is this about Puck? Who is he exactly…and why can’t he use his powers?"

"Leucite is Puck, and Puck is a child of Oberon, and very powerful. Unfortunately for him, he was also a trickster, or to put it more inelegantly, a right pain in the ass. Because he disobeyed his father in refusing to attend the thousand year ‘Gathering,’ Oberon punished him by stripping him of his powers – except when he was training the son of David Xanatose. There is an explanation behind all this, but I won’t go into it."

"Then how come he can use his powers now? He’s not training anyone…is he?"

"No, he’s not. He only has his severely limited powers because I granted them to him. At Breccia’s insistence, due to the family connection that he has here."

Before anyone could continue, there was a spark of light at Celestine’s fingertips, one that sent a wave of golden light through the figure. As they watched, stunned, the figure regained natural colour, movement…life. The girl was alive.

"Are you all right, Nepheline?" asked Celestine gently, a smile on her face. The girl, exceptionally pretty with pale sapphire-coloured eyes and brown hair like Leucite’s, cut in a short, bubbly style about her lovely face, threw herself into Celestine’s arms. "You did come back!"

"I said I would, didn’t I? I brought you here to save you, and now, even though it isn’t really safe for you yet, Countess, we need your help."

She drew back, still smiling, wearing a long sea-blue dress that rippled like the ocean every time she moved. She gazed on the others with wonder. "They’re alive…except…"

"Kunzite is alive,’ said Celestine. "Come closer, child. Let me tell you." She pulled the girl into her arms, and without warning, planted her lips on hers, and kissed her long and deep.

"Uh – hello." Tuxedo Kamen looked surprised. "I thought that THAT was more Zoisite and Kunzite’s way of doing things."

"Watch your mouth, Cape-boy," snapped Zoya. "I know what she’s doing."

"Having herself a good time, I would say," said Artemis dryly.

Luna’s eyes scrolled back into her kitty head. "Typical male."

"She’s using a method of knowledge transference that only people of her experience would ever use – she’s informing Nepheline of all that has transpired by passing on information through a bond formed by that kiss." Zoya sounded rather knowledgeable all of a sudden – Zoisite was obviously breaking through now.

"It’s um…a little suggestive of other things though, isn’t it?" Mars looked a little disturbed.

Nepheline only laughed as she drew away from Celestine. "I wouldn’t panic, Mars – I won’t try it on you. Not even if you ask really nice. I can’t speak for Celestine, though…"

"Neffy," she chided gently, and both Nephrite and Nepheline Syenite looked up. "I mean Countess Syenite – don’t ruin my reputation, please."

"Those two…" said Tuxedo Kamen slowly. "Nephrite and Nepheline…they look kind of similar…"

"They’re brother and sister," spoke up Jadeite, and Nephrite shook his head.

"Only half – same mother." He smiled at the girl sadly. "It’s good to see you again, Si."

"You too, Nef." She looked at the others, who seemed confused. "I am a countess through my father – that is why Nephrite doesn’t have the two-pronged name or the title." Looking at them, one could see easily the same eyes in the same faces, it was the hair that separated them. His was thick, auburn, wavy. Hers was short, thin and wispy, and it went well with the carefree look in her eyes.

"We don’t have time to reminisce," said Celestine abruptly, and the two cats nodded. "We have to go to the Dark Kingdom. Morganite, shall we proceed? In the absence of Kunzite, you are the highest ranking member of Breccia’s Trust. It is up to you alone to tell us if we can continue."

"What?" The girl looked stunned, and suddenly, very vulnerable. "Why me? Aren’t you in charge?"

"In the absence of the Princess, I am the avatar of Angelikarma," she said gently. "Breccia’s Trust is simply my guardian, and also my guide. You are here to help me bring Angelikarma into myself, and then I am here to help you destroy Beryl and Metallia for once and for all. Then, I will use the power of Angelikarma’s justice to rebuild Nemesis, and begin a life for the spirits who are trapped under Beryl’s control."

"What spirits?" asked Sailor Moon, looking stunned. "And why are we involved? From the sounds of it, this isn’t our fight."

"It’s not, not really – it’s old friendship, and old vengeance that brings the Senshi and their Princess into this. You still have a bone to pick with Beryl and Metallia – and the Senshi and the Prince have old friendships to renew." She smiled as she looked at the others. "Times may have changed, loves may have changed, but friendship need not die."

"Are you talking about how we four Kings were once generals under Endymion?" asked Zoya softly. "And how we were the lovers of the inner Senshi?"

"WHAT THE BLUE FUCK?!" screamed Mars. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

Celestine chuckled. "Obviously, you don’t remember Mars. But it doesn’t matter now. All that matters now is that we heal this land, so that the four Kings, Morganite, Nepheline and all the others can be free, as they should be."

"What other spirits?" repeated Sailor Moon. "I don’t get it."

"There’s nothing new," muttered Mars, and sighed at the look from Artemis. "Okay, okay, I’m sorry."

"Remember how the spirits of the four kings were in the glass of eternal spirits? Well, all the spirits of the dead youma, Beryl, Metallia and the entire community of Nemesis, were also imprisoned inside it. And when Phenakite broke it, they were released. The denizens of the Dark Kingdom had the choice, and Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoisite and Morganite became Karl, Masato, Zoya and Morgan. Jadeite had no choice, because he never died. He was just released from the crystal. Metallia was simply released, for she is a spirit anyway. Beryl’s spirit is essentially evil, thus she chose to stay the Queen of the Dark Kingdom. And her youma are programmed to follow the Queen."

"And what about the people of Nemesis?" asked Jupiter curiously, almost fearfully.

"They didn’t have the Choice…they were held back by Breccia, and still are. Only the resurrection of the fallen kingdom, the land of shattered dreams, will bring back the people from their dreamless slumber."

"So what are we doing now?" asked Morganite, looking terrified. The others were stunned by the change in the girl. Usually, she was so…cruel. There was hardly another way to say it, but it was the truth. She had an aura of mature evil about her, but now…she seemed a lost child. "I…I want to talk to Leucite!"

"When you reach the Dark Kingdom, you can talk to him. Until then, you will just have to learn to keep your emotions under control, okay? I know it’s hard…"

"Yeah, right," she said bitterly. "You don’t have a past that could kill you waiting for you in the Dark Kingdom. Your former husband isn’t there, your former lover doesn’t have a new love, your child…" She choked back a sob, and Nepheline reached out to her.

"Morganite." One word, one look, yet it was all it took for Morganite to calm, to become submissive. "Listen to me, Morganite. I know you’re hurting, I know your pain…but truly, it will be okay. Just believe in yourself – and you will always be free of your past. Come with me, and face your demons. Then, and only then, will you be free. To become your true self."

The girl smiled winningly, and pulled the unresisting woman into her embrace, holding her tightly. "Oh, but you have lost much…I feel your pain…"

Sailor Moon turned away from the crying woman, held so tightly by the young girl. "Am I missing something? Something in their pasts?"

"Not that I’m aware of," said Celestine with a tiny smile. "Nepheline was once Melpomene, a woman in the court of Odysseus. She was…well, this will sound bad, given you know of her present relation to Nephrite. But she was the lover of Nephrite when he was under Endymion…it was partly through Melpomene that he met and fell in love with the Princess of Jupiter. He forgot her in an instant…and then there was Perseus. But that is the past…as for this…Nepheline Syenite is our ‘innocent immortal.’ Beryl yanked her from the Silver Millennium with the others, as a pawn, in case she was needed. Nepheline remembers everything, she was never brainwashed. Thus, she has none of the powers of the other Kings, and she could never tell the others of their pasts. To ease this pain, she befriended Leucite and Morganite, two people who had no direct connections to the Moon Kingdom, or any of the planets. That is where this friendship stems from – it was forged in this dark life, because they didn’t know each other in their previous lives."

"Can I ask just one thing?" spoke up Venus, still holding the hand of Jadeite.

"Sure." Celestine sounded surprised to hear from the quiet Senshi.

"What was that about her child?"

Zoya looked stunned, and Tuxedo Kamen held her tighter. The girl was practically in hysterics, and no one could understand why. Everyone turned to her, even Morganite and Nepheline. "Zoya?" he asked quietly.

"Morganite!" she cried out in anguish. "So that’s why he was always so…obsessed with the hope that I should have children…"

She lowered her head, ashamed. "Zoisite, I’m sorry. I’m sorry most of all to Kunzite, though."

"What are you talking about?"

"I told him Alexandrite was dead."

"He is, isn’t he?" asked Nephrite, looking up from gazing at Naru. "Alex is dead."

"I…I…" Morganite suddenly buried in face in Nepheline’s chest and refused to speak further. Zoya just looked stunned, Nephrite sad.

"What’s going on now?" asked Luna with a sigh. These Dark Kingdom wannabes were SO confusing…

Zoya was the first to speak, as Celestine, the calm voice of reason and explanation, seemed engrossed in a small circular carving on the surface of the temple floor. "There was a time in the Dark Kingdom, before Jadeite descended to earth, when Zoisite – I mean me – was female. It’s a LONG story, so I won’t go into it, just understand that Kunzite was particularly upset when I was changed back, because it meant I was unable to have children – with him, anyway. I have just realised that he must have been the father of HER child…and I just can’t stand the thought of him having a child with another…"

"Why?" asked Sailor Moon, and one might have thought they could hear the bitterness in her words. "You have my Tuxedo Kamen now, what does Kunzite matter to you anymore?"

"He was still my friend," she said in a small voice. "He was my teacher, not just my lover. Without him, I would have been lost…but, oh god, I don’t want to face him again! I just…want to be free of all this pain, all this death and power and corruption – I JUST WANT TO BE ME!"

"You said that already," muttered Mars, and Artemis sighed.

"Mars, I know that you feel a little strange about all this, but really – even though this isn’t directly our battle, I think we’re more than a little involved. Come on, you want to give Beryl another whack, don’t you?"

"Oh yes," said Mars sarcastically. "Last time I did that, I wound up DEAD!"

"YOU’RE giving up?" asked Jupiter incredulously. "I thought you had more backbone than that!"

"And you expect us to reject Usa-chan in favour of you as our leader?" put in Venus, and ignored Jadeite’s attempts to get her to stop. "You’re just a coward, Mars. A damn COWARD!"

"She killed you too, don’t forget," snapped Mars, colour staining her cheeks. "What is this, anyway? National ‘Let’s all gang up on Mars day?’"

"No, I believe it is ‘Let’s make the Grand Inquisitor doubt her sanity day,’" put in Celestine, looking up at then with her unusual golden eyes. She was now kneeling beside the strange carving.

"Nanii?" asked Mercury, surprised.

It was the mainly silent Jadeite who replied. "You guys are supposed to be the Sailor Senshi, ne? And look at you, fighting like a bunch of school girls!"

"Uh, hello," Mars snapped, eyes flashing violet fire. "We are a bunch of school girls, bakayaro!"

"Screw you," replied Jadeite angrily, looking more than slightly humiliated.

Mars picked up on the source of his embarrassment easily. "Yeah, JED!," she snickered, gloating as he winced over the nickname. "You were beaten by a bunch of giggling, arguing SCHOOL GIRLS!"

"Shut the fuck up, Mars!" cried Venus, her hackles rising as she glared at the raven haired girl. "Don’t diss my man – it really gets my feckles up!"

Mars smiled sarcastically. "It’s hackles, you moron, it really gets your HACKLES up – there’s no such word as feckles!"

"Feckles, fackles, smeckles – whatever the hell they are, they’re up right now and pointed at you!"

"Yeah?"

"YEAH!"

"This is totally bizarre," sighed Celestine. "Children, would you stop fighting, or I’ll make you go and talk to Pluto. Not a fun task, let me assure you."

"Who?" the gang immediately chorused. Celestine smiled.

"Sorry, can’t divulge details. Let’s just say that me being the timeless ‘Grand Inquisitor’ and she being the guardian of time, we tend to run into each other a lot. She’s the one who let Oberon have the Phoenix gate - that strange pendant Leucite wears as a brooch on his cloak collar."

"What do you do?" asked Mercury curiously, looking at the strange woman and her unusual attire. "You call yourself the Grand Inquisitor, but dress a little like a Senshi, and Leucite said you were a priestess."

"In a manner of speaking," she said with a laugh. "I am High Priestess of the Order of Breccia, a religious kind of organisation in Nemesis, and advisor to the Royal Family that once resided there. But that’s just my hobby – my real job is to guard the Omni-zone, and Inquire…make sure those who mess with the Omni-zone have a good reason for it."

"So you’re not from this dimension either? Like Morganite and Leucite?"

"I am timeless, ageless, homeless…I have only one place where I am, and that is the mass of non-time, where the entrance to the Omni-zone is. I was never born, thus I can never die."

"Okay," said Sailor Moon, obviously a little unnerved at this revelation. "Right…could we skip the meta-physics lesson already?"

"Let’s go kick Beryl’s ass!" cried Jupiter enthusiastically. "I feel completely lost now, but violence – now THERE’S something I could understand any day!"

"Hey, that’s right!" Venus looked over Celestine’s garb. "You do look a little like a Senshi, with that collar on your outfit."

Celestine laughed merrily. "Just a touch of amusement – something we immortals do."

"Especially her," Nepheline smiled angelically, looking up from Morganite. "Don’t fry me, baby."

"I wouldn’t do that – ‘cause I love you so much," Celestine replied, rolling her extraordinary eyes. The others looked at each other and shrugged.

"I don’t want to ask, I’m sick of explanations – but is Nepheline an immortal?"

Celestine looked a little pained, and she hesitated before answering. "Because of what Metallia did to her, yes. She cannot die, and thus, is immortal."

"Damn, I wish I had stuck with you during the attack," said Nephrite, looking at Naru. "But Beryl was such a bitch – reincarnating me with those losers!"

Jadeite and Zoya simultaneously stuck their tongues out at Nephrite.

Celestine just sighed, and pocketed something that she had picked up from the rubble. "Let’s just go."

______________________________________________________________________________________

The Dark Kingdom hadn’t gotten its name by accident.

Kunzite had forgotten the dreariness of the place, with endless corridors, and then, huge caverns of clearings, an eternally cloudy sky, and ominous buildings that passed for homes.

It had taken a while to escape Phenakite – she had become such a nymphomaniac – and he was glad for the solitude. She had seemed oblivious to the fact that the Senshi, and the three remaining kings, could come after them at any time. She seemed to think that with the loss of Jadeite, the other three would be severely weakened, as would Venus.

He wasn’t so sure. He had been married to Morganite for two years, and grown up with her, and if there was anything he knew, it was that Morganite never gave up. Her own death had been proof enough of her stubborn nature.

And Zoisite…pain wrapped thorny manacles around his bleeding heart as his mind wandered to his former lover. That King had always been an impulsive, emotional tornado. Despite all his comments about his brother after his imprisonment in the crystal, Zoisite had genuinely cared for Jadeite. As usual, Zoisite covered up ‘soft’ emotions with maliciousness. As he always had done.

Zoisite would not allow his brother to die unavenged.

Kunzite looked around the garden, a heavy sadness on his heart. Zoisite had created the garden of roses, for himself at first, then the field of long grass, pink roses and sakura had become their haven from the darkness.

It was strange – when Beryl had made Zoisite female, they had come here often. But when it was reversed…they had stayed away. Only the roses had lived on in both their hearts. They never come here again – at least, not together.

He had lost the love that he had never really appreciated. And it broke his heart as he looked over the garden of shadows. He was lost to him. Forever.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Leucite sighed impatiently. They were taking FOREVER to get here, and he could sense the build up of power at the centre of the Dark Kingdom. Beryl and Metallia…he could sense a change in their powers. They were no longer distinguishable as two separate powers.

The mirror seemed to mock him from where it leaned against the strangely organic wall. Nephrite certainly had opulent chambers, decorated in red velvet, wine racks on every wall – and Leucite knew this was only a fraction of his vast collection. This was Nephrite’s ‘lounge,’ as such, and it was cluttered with artefacts. But it was the mirror that concerned him now.

"So you finally decided to come back."

He turned, somehow not surprised to see the owner of the bitchy voice. Leaning against Nephrite’s open front door, was a slight woman in a grey uniform, smiling crookedly at him.

Leucite almost kicked himself for not raising the security wards – but, really, when he thought about it, it was obvious Phenakite could have gotten through them anyway.

"You know me. Just can’t stop sticking my nose in other people’s business."

"Your interfering will be the end of you, you know."

"The end of me in Nemesis and the Dark Kingdom, maybe. You can’t kill me, Phenakite. Only send me home to big daddy Oberon."

"He can’t be too impressed by your recent behaviour, my friend." Phenakite shifted, and looked out the door. "I really don’t know why you came back."

A heavy weight on his heart told him why. "I must help my sister."

"Is that the only reason?"

For a split second, he thought that Phenakite had seen right through him – but she was just being a bitch.

She seemed saddened greatly as she walked towards him, and the mirror. "Don’t bother. Just go, Puck. Go back where you belong. Your sister is already dead – and so am I."

A blast of energy from her hand was all it took to shatter the mirror.

"Phoebe is dead, Puck. You will only die if you remain here. To the contrary, I can kill you. I may not enjoy it, but I will kill you."

The girl vanished, and Leucite sighed heavily. He began to pick up the pieces of the mirror, a small, melancholy smile on his face.

"Seven years bad luck, my friend…I wouldn’t be too sure if I were you."

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